About Cutsforth Park

Cutsforth Park is located about 20 miles southeast of Heppner, Oregon on the
Willow Creek Road (Blue
Mountain Scenic Byway) at the boundary of the 1.4 million-acre Umatilla
National Forest. There's a dining hall with kitchen and fireplace, a picnic area
and gazebo for large and small groups, a children's playground with play
equipment, restroom facilities with showers, trails for hiking, horse pens,
horseshoe pits and both a stocked pond and a stream for fishing. There are
full and partial RV hookup sites, tent sites, and two cabins. Similar to
our events at Emigrant Springs, the center of activity will be the dining hall
and we have set aside the Eastern half of the campgrounds for camping.
There is no freeway nearby so tent campers should find it quiet. We are
not restricted to certain areas of the park, but are free to walk or drive our
llamas anywhere. There are numerous roads for driving on and off the
campgrounds.

Aside from the tent camping areas, two cabins are available nearby.
These cabins are 10' X 16' with bunks (bring your own bedroll or linen for the
mattress). There is no electricity or running water in the cabins but they
do have propane heat and lights. Use of the heater or lights requires
bringing your own propane bottle or renting one on site ($5/day). Cabin
rental is $37.50 for the weekend.

6/8/10 Note: One cabin previously reserved is being unreserved and made
available. If you want a cabin and are told none are available let us
know.

As with recent years, this a combined event. In addition to backcountry
llama packers we invite and encourage llama drivers to attend as well and bring
their carts.

Many trails and roads meander throughout the property. This is a good area for driving your llamas,
but note that some roads have elevation change. Note when driving your
llamas that there is a 10mph speed limit.

Of course newcomers/ investigators are encouraged to attend too --
the idea is to bring together all aficionados (and interested parties) of
the working llama to learn and have fun.
Youth are encouraged to attend. We're again inviting 4H kids (with
their llamas). Most of these
youth have show experience but few of them
have actual exposure to llama packing or driving. This is a chance for
actual hands-on education about what can be done with llamas as well as
gaining more handling experience, strengthening their relationship with
their llama. This is a chance for experienced llama handlers to pass
their extensive llama knowledge to the younger generation.

The poker run style llama hike is a good opportunity to get some practice
with your llamas so new llamas can see other more experienced llamas at work.
Llamas do learn a great deal just from observation. If they are adequately
desensitized to wearing packing equipment, it's suggested they be in their
packing regalia for the trek. The picture to the right is from the top of
Little Bald Mountain looking back on Cutsforth Park. The planned trek is
not going that far or high but will make a loop past the Great Earth Shake rock
formation in Hell's Half Acre. It's about three miles and the Earth Shake
destination is about 650 feet elevation above the departure point. Click
on the map thumbnail below to see a topographic view, and an elevation profile
next to that. For the more ambitious, one can hike to Gibson's Cave, which
will be on the route for the PLTA pack trials this Fall.

The PLTA Pack Trials are being separated from rendezvous this year, to be
held in the Fall, October 2-3, double all class. This should provide a more relaxed schedule and
increased focus on the seminars and hands-on interaction at rendezvous.
More information about the pack trial will be provided soon.

Schedule*:

Friday June 25th

5:30 PM

Introductions

6 PM

Dinner (provided). Bringing side dishes is welcome for
additional variety.

Some picnic tables are available outdoors but please bring a comfortable chair and your own
camping and packing gear. The dining hall has been rented for our use with bench seating for the
presentations. Main dish and beverages will be provided Friday night,
and Saturday will be pot luck. A take-out lunch (build your own bag lunch of breads,
peanut butter, jelly fruit
and chips) on Saturday. Donations of side dishes are very welcome for
additional variety. You are
encouraged to share a favorite on-the-pack-trail dish (or side dish) and
recipes. Hearty
breakfasts will be provided onsite accepting optional donation for llama rescue
fundraisers Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will
include pancakes with syrup, bacon or sausage, and
juice. Sunday will include oatmeal, eggs, sausage or bacon.
Some paper products and plastic utensils will be available but supplies
may be limited.

Llama pack
gear is suggested (optional) for the poker run. Bring your driving
equipment. The weather is expected to be about 75F with lots of sunshine, so bring your
hats, sunglasses and cameras. Forecast low is 50F at night, so some layered warm clothing is recommended.
Precipitation normally ends before late June
but some light rain gear or umbrella is prudent. See
the forecast. The ground is dry. The llamas will have a grassy area
available,
but bring hay.
Tethers or portable corrals. Water
buckets and canteen/coolers (potable water is available). Bring your GPS
receiver, maps and compass.

What to Leave Behind

Important: Practice Leave no Trace principles insofar as
practical. Please pick up any pellets and bits of hay before you leave and
deposit all garbage in the receptacles. It's important to leave the camp
area clean.

What to Order

Commemorative T-shirts $14

Crew Neck Sweatshirts $28

Hooded Pullover Sweatshirts $30

All shirts will be medium blue with navy blue graphics & lettering. Orders must be in before June
5 to get
them made before the event.

Costs are $40 per adult for the entire weekend.
Kids ages 10-18 are $15 for the weekend. Kids under 10 are free. Opt.
family rate $100. Group discounts available. Members of 4-H or FFA,
50% off. Discounts also available for seminar and activity organizers.
Inquire. Fees cover the lodge, prizes, food, attendance and participation
in all events. Please have registration (and T-shirt, etc. orders) in by Friday,
4 June 2010. After that date fees increase to $45 for adults
and $20 for 10 -18.

Located 20 miles southeast of Heppner, Oregon, at 58430 Willow Cr. Rd.
There is a brown sign in Heppner at the intersection with Willow Creek Road
pointing the way to Cutsforth Park, and the entrance to the park also has a sign
(see photos).

A post-rendezvous pack trip is planned for the
Strawberry Wilderness to the south (just
south of Prairie City on map above), with
Main Eagle to the east as an alternate location.
The plan is to drive to the trailhead on Sunday and pack in on Monday.